Interleukin-17 and vascular endothelial growth factor: new biomarkers for the diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis

The BRAF V600E Mutation and Clinicopathological Changes Among Patients With Hashimoto Thyroiditis, Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma With Hashimoto Thyroiditis, and Nodular Goiter

The study aimed to investigate the BRAF V600E mutation and clinicopathological changes among patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT), or nodular goiter (NG). A total of 87 patients with the BRAF V600E mutation who were diagnosed with HT (including with hyperplasia dysplasia), PTC with HT, and PTC with NG were enrolled. Clinical data, concentrations of antithyroglobulin antibodies (TGAb) and thyroid microsomal antibodies (TMAb) in the serum thyroid-function levels, and the result presence of the BRAF V600E mutation were retrospectively analyzed. There were significant differences in the BRAF V600E mutation rates between the HT and PTC with HT groups ( P <0.05) and the HT and PTC with NG groups ( P <0.05), whereas no significant difference was found between the PTC with HT and PTC with NG groups. There was no difference in incidences of PTC between HT with elevated TGAb and TMAb group and those with baseline levels. The incidence of multifocal PTC was higher in the PTC with HT group; however, the difference was not significant. Our findings documented that BRAF mutation distinguished between the benign HT and the malignant PTC groups. The serum levels of TGAb and TMAb autoantibodies did not directly correlate with PTC in the background of HT. HT and NG may similarly contribute to the pathogenesis of PTC.

Are single nucleotide polymorphisms in the IL-2 gene biomarkers for Hashimoto's thyroiditis?

Background and aims

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disorder that can lead to hypothyroidism. The pathophysiology of HT involves the production of antithyroid antibodies that attack the thyroid tissue, causing inflammation and progressive fibrosis. Recent studies demonstrated a strong correlation between Interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels and the development of autoimmune diseases, suggesting that this cytokine may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of HT.

Methods

In this study, we determined the presence of the point mutation +114T/G in the IL-2 gene in patients with HT compared with a control group, and also the serum level of anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPOAbs) and anti-thyroglobulin (TgAbs) antibodies in HT patients with vs. without the mutation. The sequences of the IL-2 gene obtained from subjects were determined by the Sanger sequencing method.

Results

Our study did not reveal that the +114T/G polymorphism of the IL-2 gene is a susceptibility or protective factor for HT. No significant correlations were observed between the reference genotype, hetero- and homozygous +114T/G polymorphism and TPOAbs, respectively TgAbs serum levels in HT patients.

Conclusions

Further studies of more cases are needed to identify more polymorphisms in the IL-2 gene and study their correlations with HT.

Alterations in CD4+ T Cell Cytokines Profile in Female Patients with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Following Vitamin D Supplementation: A Double-blind, Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of thyroid cells through immune processes involving T helper (Th)1 cytokines. This clinical trial investigates the impact of vitamin D supplementation on serum cytokine levels and gene expression in CD4+ T cells from HT patients, aiming to understand its effects on Th-1, Th-2, Th-17, and regulatory T (Treg) cell-associated factors.

METHODS

Female patients were randomly assigned in a double-blind design to either a vitamin D-supplemented group, which received cholecalciferol (1, 25(OH)2D3) at a dose of 50,000 IU, or the placebo group, which received a weekly placebo for a duration of three months. Serum cytokine levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while genes' expression levels were measured using real-time PCR.

RESULTS

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and levels exhibited a significant increase following vitamin D supplementation, in comparison to the placebo group. Additionally, the vitamin D supplementation resulted in a significant elevation of serum calcium (Ca) levels compared to baseline. In the vitamin D group, there was a significant decrease in both serum levels and expression of the interleukin (IL)-17 gene when compared to baseline, although no statistical difference was observed between the placebo and vitamin D groups. The gene expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) was significantly increased in the vitamin D group compared to baseline, with no significant difference between the two study groups. Vitamin D treatment had no effect on serum levels of interferon-gamma (IFNϒ) and IL-4. While the gene expression of IL-4 in the vitamin D group did not exhibit a statistically significant increase, the level of GATA3 transcription factor increased significantly when compared to the placebo group. The expression of IFNϒ and transcription factors, T-bet, RORc, and forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) in genes did not show significant changes following vitamin D supplementation.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation may hold potential benefits for autoimmune diseases, such as HT. However, further longitudinal clinical trials are necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the specific effects of vitamin D on HT.

The protective impact of hesperidin against carbimazole-induced hypothyroidism, via enhancement of inflammatory cytokines, histopathological alterations, and Nrf2/HO-1

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiproliferative effects of hesperidin (HSP) and eltroxin (ELT) on hypothyroidism (HPO) induced by carbimazole (CBZ) in white male albino rats. Thirty-two adult rats were categorized into four groups: Group 1, no treatment (control); Group II, treated with CBZ (20 mg/kg); Group III, treated with HSP (200 mg/kg) + CBZ; and Group IV, treated with ELT (0.045 mg/kg) + CBZ. All treatments were provided as oral daily doses for 90 days. Thyroid hypofunction was significantly manifested in Group II. However, increased levels of thyroid hormones, antioxidant enzymes, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, heme oxygenase 1, and interleukin (IL)-10, and a decrease in the level of the thyroid-stimulating hormone were observed in Groups III and IV. On the contrary, decreased levels of lipid peroxidation, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor α, IL-17, and cyclooxygenase 2 were detected in groups III and IV. The histopathological and ultrastructural findings were ameliorated in Groups III and IV; on the contrary, Group II presented with significant increases in the height and number of layers of the follicular cells. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a marked increase in thyroglobulin and significant decreases in the levels of nuclear factor kappa B and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in Groups III and IV. These results confirmed the effectiveness of HSP as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiproliferative agent in rats with hypothyroidism. Additional studies are required to assess its potential as a novel agent against HPO.

Promotion of IL‑17/NF‑κB signaling in autoimmune thyroid diseases

IL-17 and other cytokines have a number of immunomodulatory effects on thyroid cells. The present study investigated the changes and correlations amongst IL-17, NF-κB, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), TNF-α, IL-2 and IL-4 in patients with different autoimmune thyroid diseases in order to further clarify the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid disease. A total of 82 patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases (41 with Graves' disease and 41 with Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and 53 healthy controls were enrolled. All relevant thyroid hormones were detected by electrochemiluminescence analyzer. The serum levels of IL-17 and other cytokines were detected using flow cytometry, NF-κB was detected by ELISA, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to detect the protein expression of various mRNAs, and the correlations between IL-17 and these factors were analyzed. Significant differences occurred amongst all groups. NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17 and their mRNA levels were significantly higher in the healthy controls compared with those in the patients; whereas IFN-γ and IL-10 levels were significantly lower in the healthy controls compared with those in the patients . Correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of IL-17 and its mRNA were significantly positively correlated with the expression levels of NF-κB, IL-6, thyroid peroxidase antibody, thyroid gland globulin, thyroglobulin antibody, TNF-α and IFN-γ, and were also significantly negatively correlated with IL-10 . These findings suggested that IL-17 was elevated in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease and that IL-17 could activate the NF-κB signaling pathway, stimulate the production and release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-γ and participate in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid injury.